as I should've been. My gran was a very perceptive old lady. She knew things months before anyone would say anything. "About ten weeks."
"And is it yours?"
"Gran!"
"Madi, her grandmother told me about what happened when you left. She needed an ear to listen, and I just happened to lend mine. Kayla has no idea, so you best not tell her. I don't want her thinkin' her grandma was gossipin' or anything like that."
I shook my head. I was shocked at the little circle Mrs. James and my gran had slowly forged.
"She says it's mine. She was at the doctor the day of the accident. She says the time she conceived was after I had gotten back from college. But, I did make the mistake of askin' her that very same question."
"Madison Leroy Raine! Well no wonder that girl was runnin' away from you. Even if you had a thought that it couldn't be yours, you never ask a woman that. You let her come to you with that information. Ya hear me, young man."
"Yes Gran, I got it now. I would've been with her regardless Gran, honest to god. That girl is my entire world. I would give my life for her."
"I know you would, honey. I know. So now onto the awkward question, have you heard from that no good, piece of shit father of yours?"
The language my gran was usin’ took me back. Lydia Raine rarely if ever used language like that, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was about my father that had her so mad. "No I haven't. Should I have?"
"You know the police say the car that hit that poor girl's truck was one like the one I saw your father drive away in the other day. I'm not accusin', but somethin' don't seem right."
She must've felt me tense beneath her touch, because her grip on my wrist tightened as she continued on with her next sentence. "Now don't you go bein' a detective, you leave this matter to the police. The only reason I brought it up was because your granddaddy’s lawyer said he had gone by and spoken with your father, before he came to see me the other day. There's somethin' I need to tell you Madison. I need you to listen carefully to me. Can you do that?"
"Of course, Gran. What is it?" I was preparing myself for the worse.
"Your granddaddy and I have spent our entire lives savin' for our child and then our grandchild. Your granddad made sure that if anything ever happened to either of us that you would be taken care of. When he started getting real sick, he had our lawyer come out and change our will. Everything that was supposed to go to your father was added to your half.
After your father was sent away, your granddad wanted to believe that he would get out a changed man, but I think deep down he knew better. Madison, you are about to inherit everything and more. You will have everything in a trust fund that we had set up for you, and the farm. It's yours now."
I shot up from my chair, catching myself on the railing as all the blood rushed to my head. I hunched over the banister trying to catch my breath. Everything she was sayin' was indicating that she wouldn't be around much longer and that scared the ever livin' shit out of me. I couldn't stand the thought of losin' her too. I turned around leanin' against the railing before I could find the words to respond.
"Gran, are you sayin' that you'll be "leaving" me soon too? Because all the money in the world wouldn't matter if I lost you too."
She quickly rose from her seat, wrapping her small frail arms around my waist. "Oh Madison, no that's not what I'm sayin' at all. I'm just preparin' ya. Your daddy isn’t too thrilled with the news and I reckon he may want a round two with ya. That's all, my sweet boy."
"Hey Gran?"
"Yes, love."
"I'm thinkin' of sellin' the house back home. Now that Kayla is here and given the current situation, I just feel like it's the right thing to do."
"Madison, are you sure? I know how much that house means to you."
"It used to mean a lot to me, but now it's just tainted with the sour memories of my dead beat father. My mom lives in my
"And is it yours?"
"Gran!"
"Madi, her grandmother told me about what happened when you left. She needed an ear to listen, and I just happened to lend mine. Kayla has no idea, so you best not tell her. I don't want her thinkin' her grandma was gossipin' or anything like that."
I shook my head. I was shocked at the little circle Mrs. James and my gran had slowly forged.
"She says it's mine. She was at the doctor the day of the accident. She says the time she conceived was after I had gotten back from college. But, I did make the mistake of askin' her that very same question."
"Madison Leroy Raine! Well no wonder that girl was runnin' away from you. Even if you had a thought that it couldn't be yours, you never ask a woman that. You let her come to you with that information. Ya hear me, young man."
"Yes Gran, I got it now. I would've been with her regardless Gran, honest to god. That girl is my entire world. I would give my life for her."
"I know you would, honey. I know. So now onto the awkward question, have you heard from that no good, piece of shit father of yours?"
The language my gran was usin’ took me back. Lydia Raine rarely if ever used language like that, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was about my father that had her so mad. "No I haven't. Should I have?"
"You know the police say the car that hit that poor girl's truck was one like the one I saw your father drive away in the other day. I'm not accusin', but somethin' don't seem right."
She must've felt me tense beneath her touch, because her grip on my wrist tightened as she continued on with her next sentence. "Now don't you go bein' a detective, you leave this matter to the police. The only reason I brought it up was because your granddaddy’s lawyer said he had gone by and spoken with your father, before he came to see me the other day. There's somethin' I need to tell you Madison. I need you to listen carefully to me. Can you do that?"
"Of course, Gran. What is it?" I was preparing myself for the worse.
"Your granddaddy and I have spent our entire lives savin' for our child and then our grandchild. Your granddad made sure that if anything ever happened to either of us that you would be taken care of. When he started getting real sick, he had our lawyer come out and change our will. Everything that was supposed to go to your father was added to your half.
After your father was sent away, your granddad wanted to believe that he would get out a changed man, but I think deep down he knew better. Madison, you are about to inherit everything and more. You will have everything in a trust fund that we had set up for you, and the farm. It's yours now."
I shot up from my chair, catching myself on the railing as all the blood rushed to my head. I hunched over the banister trying to catch my breath. Everything she was sayin' was indicating that she wouldn't be around much longer and that scared the ever livin' shit out of me. I couldn't stand the thought of losin' her too. I turned around leanin' against the railing before I could find the words to respond.
"Gran, are you sayin' that you'll be "leaving" me soon too? Because all the money in the world wouldn't matter if I lost you too."
She quickly rose from her seat, wrapping her small frail arms around my waist. "Oh Madison, no that's not what I'm sayin' at all. I'm just preparin' ya. Your daddy isn’t too thrilled with the news and I reckon he may want a round two with ya. That's all, my sweet boy."
"Hey Gran?"
"Yes, love."
"I'm thinkin' of sellin' the house back home. Now that Kayla is here and given the current situation, I just feel like it's the right thing to do."
"Madison, are you sure? I know how much that house means to you."
"It used to mean a lot to me, but now it's just tainted with the sour memories of my dead beat father. My mom lives in my
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